GOD'S LOVE VERSUS ARMAGEDDON FEARS Many people wonder even intensely worry about Armageddon.  At Matthew 24 Christ gave signs to mark when he returned or was present for full Kingdom power on Earth, namely: notable wars, diseases, famines, earthquakes.   Some like the Watchtower Society over Jehovah’s Witnesses, have said 1914,  etc marked his return and within a generation of “70 or 80” years "Armageddon" destruction would follow ending human civilization as we know it or the lives of almost all people upon Earth.  The 9-11 terror destruction in New York, AIDS; prophecies or predictions by ancient Mayas, Nostradamus, Newton, the Bahai’s and the Watchtower Society over Jehovah’s Witnesses; the H1N1 Swine Flu, tsunamis in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, hurricanes in the Caribbean and the U.S. Gulf have also made people wonder, worry and fear.  So, was 1914 a year marking the end of or the soon to come end of human civilization in line with Armageddon?   Were the events of events in 1914-1918 worse numerically than for any time ever before or since that time period?  Consider: WARFARE: 40 million people died during 1850-64 in China, World War I slew 10-12 million people but World War II killed 54 million people, and Communist China from 1925 to 76 had up to 100 million deaths.  DISEASE killed 95 million American Indians during 1500-1800, and 100 million people around the Mediterranean Sea died during 542-565 A.D.  The Spanish Influenza killed only 20 million people worldwide during 1918-19, and AIDS from 1985 through 2009 had killed more than 33.5 million people.  DROUGHT: In 1876-79 China had 9-13 million deaths due to people dying from drought. Happily, thanks to international humanitarian efforts, nothing around 1914 or since then has approached that figure.  EARTHQUAKES did not increase in number or intensity during 1900-99 but yearly our ability to detect them has improved.   Probably the worst known was an earthquake quake in 1201 which slew 1.1 million people around the Mediterranean Sea. So the worst wars, diseases, droughts and earthquakes do not occur during or near the date of 1914, although the events of World War I, World War II and the Cold War do fit well with the description at Revelation 12:12 of a period of major "woe" coming upon earth.  There have been many, many incorrect predictions with many other dates for Christ’s return and Armageddon events throughout history.  This includes numerous mispredictions and false emphases for specific dates by the Watchtower Society men ruling over the lives of Jehovah's Witnesses including 1925, during World War II, later 1975, and some say that informally the insistence that Armageddon is about to hit at any second continues.  Why do group leaders like to keep people thinking that the End is about to come?  Because by exciting them they tend to donate more money.  That obviously benefits the leaders financially but sadly such mispredictions have also motivated some of the people beneath the leaders to do things such as run up credit card bills, delay or not get life-saving cancer treatments, etc.  This focus on doomsdays is one reason why the wary public often refers to such groups as doomsday cults. At Matthew 24:21 Christ did say that his return would bring great tribulation or persecution such as had not been since the world began. At Matthew 23:34-36 he explained that persons in his own generation would see this start.  From the time when Christ died on Earth until now we find a continuous persecution of Christians has indeed occurred in one land after another.  For example, even in the 2000s there has been great persecution of Christians and those who convert to being Christians in the Islamic-dominated nation of Sudan in Africa and Afghanistan in Asia.    This period of persecution or "Great Tribulation" is great not only because of deaths of Christians for their being Christians but also because of the length of the tribution, since it has lasted some 2,000 years now.  It did not begin in 1914 or at any other fairly recent date but instead goes all the way back to the slaying of Christ, Stephen and other early slain Christians.  This does not mean, however, that, as many groups other than doomsday cults think, there won't also be an intensified period of great tribution ahead.  But if so, still we must remember that Christ said we humans cannot know exactly when it will come, and so meanwhile we need to be living our lives in a balanced way, for example helping to keep our families happy.  Indeed, let us note that Christ also said “a wicked generation keeps seeking a sign but it only gets Jonah’s sign.”  Jonah was inside a whale three days and Christ was in death three days before the Father resurrected him; so his resurrection is the only sign needed.  As said, Christ also added that “NOBODY” can know the hour or day of the end of the "aion" (a Greek word meaning age or time period) instead of "world" as some have mistranslated it. (Matthew 24:36)  In fact God has said in the Bible that men who make false statements like the predictions of dates for the end of earth or civilization as we know it are presumptuous men and we are not to fear them. They acutally make laughingstocks of themselves. (Deuteronomy 18:22)  They are going to receive a heavier judgment from God Himself for the harm they have thus done to other people. So, if Armageddon predictions have ever scared you, then after reading this it should now be easier to put those concerns aside.  However, those who still can't feel relief from feelings of depression, fear or paranoia may want to consider consulting with a doctor or therapist, including if, for example, given to drink alcohol regularly to "feel better."  Science and the Bible do agree that eventually our planet will not exist but the Bible also adds that there will come to be a new heavens and a near Earth and some scientists also believe that after our planet and universe may have ended then, indeed, a new heavens or universe and a new Earth will come.     Yes, if you want to focus on having picnics with your family, enjoying hiking, having an actual fun vacation, those are fine in the eyes of God.  God's Way is the surpassing way of love.  Galatians 5:22 speaks of fruits of the Holy Spirit being love, joy, etc, all positive things.   Caution and concern are natural, but too much negativity can only bring oneself down to the injury of oneself and other loved ones.   Too many people for too many years have wasted much of their lives and the lives of others in needless fear.  Although the Bible speaks of Armageddon once, also a time of great persecution or tribulation, major woes from Satan cast out of heaven onto earth, etc remember that we also know from the Bible that God’s will is that people also live normal, balanced, enjoyable lives.  Humanity has had and is continuing to have wars, earthquakes etc, but every day we also can learn from those and we are thus drawing closer to a time of genuine worldwide peace and blessings brought by the Kingdom of God.  So please don’t let Armageddon fears rule and ruin your lives, but rather let God’s Love with Joy and Peace reign, shine like a bright ray and beacon of hope.  Please feel free to make and share copies of this.

WHY DOOMSDAY CULTS ARE WRONG ABOUT 2 PETER 3:12 Doomsday Cults in the worst sense are groups whose leadership does not just look forward to the end of the world or civilization as we now know it, but who take action to help cause that End, also known as Armageddon, the tragic results of which are seen for example with the mass suicides or murders such as with Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple at Jonestown, Guyana, (918 dead including over 270 children) and the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God group in Uganda, Africa (778 dead), and the Branch Davidians (83 members dead, 4 of the ATF).  The violent mind-set of such groups may be largely sparked by their misapplication of 2 Peter 3:12. For that verse, the New International Version gives “as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming...” (NIV) In similar manner the New American Standard Version (NASV) says you are “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” Thus some groups and individuals don’t just wait for or even look forward to Armageddon but hold tight to the idea (which some see as a “commandment”) that they must be doing things which, even if normally thought of as wrong are what God wants, that help to make it hurry up and happen. However, other Bible translations read differently as when the King James version says “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” and, similarly, Young’s Literal Translation says “waiting for and hasting to the presence of the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements with burning heat shall melt.” Of course that one verse, although sometimes likely to be critical as a lynch pin, does not by itself cause Doomsday Cults to suicide.  The Bible has other verses and sections speaking about The End, especially so in the book of Revelation, which some groups think of as symbolic but others think of as literal. Also, for example, the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society over Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) has produced a Bible translation called the New World Bible Translation (NWT) which has 2 Peter 3:12 sounding quite harmless.  However, by means of repeated emphasis about Armageddon in their weekly reading of Watchtower magazines  along with the requirement of strict obedience to their “Theocratic government” on earth, the danger of major tragedy remains just as strong, besides which JWs also read and occasionally use other translations where the translation emphasizes taking action to end the world.   Top leaders over JWs, such as now deceased Frederick Franz, have been especially knowledgeable of other translations, and was the main person who produced the NWT.  Franz was the main person to make JWs think 1975 would be the year of the End.  He and after his death others on the Governing Body over JWs held fast to the idea that some members of the generation alive in 1914 would see Armageddon, the misprediction not replaced until 2010 when it was printed that instead some JWs in an overlapping generation would see The End. Watchtower’s NWT simply reads “awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved and the elements being intensely hot will melt!”  In it the word/name “Jehovah” is added even though neither in the original Greek nor as a referred to Hebrew/Aramaic scripture! The original words for 2 Peter 3:12 as transcribed into the Roman alphabet from the original Koine Greek reads as noted at http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/NTpdf/2pe3.pdf   GREEK/KOINE prosdokOntas kai speundontas tEn parousian tEs tou theou hEmeras di hEn ouranoi puroumenoi luthEsontai kai stoicheia kausoumena tEketai LITERAL MEANING hoping-for/toward-seeming and hurrying/being-diligent the presence/beside-being of-the of-the God day because-of/through which heavens being-fired/on-fire shall-be-being-loosed/dissolved and elements burning/by-combustion is-being-melted/is-being-decomposed POSSIBLE RENDERING hoping for and hurrying the presence (or coming) of God’s day via which (the) heavens on fire shall be dissolved and elements by combustion melted away. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. (NIV)   11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness (KJ)   11All these, then, being dissolved, what kind of persons doth it behove you to be in holy behaviours and pious acts? (YLT)     11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought YOU to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, (NWT) Therefore the emphasis for Christians needs to instead be put upon living holy, godly lives with clean conversation, behaving and doing godly activities.  It is not Christian to sell everything that you use to support yourself, your marriage mate or your children and go around alarming people that the End of the world is about to hit.  Nor is it Christian when some groups or sub-cultures within groups commit crimes such as stalking, wiretapping bedrooms and bathrooms, assaulting, murdering, inciting mass suicides.  Instead it is a better witness to the glory and love of God to care tenderly for your own family, those who fellowship with you in Christ, the communities in which you live, etc.

WHICH VERSION OF ARMAGEDDON? Most groups teach (or misteach) Armageddon will be a one time battle event at a literal place in the Middle East and Christians will go up to heaven.  Still other groups such as the Watchtower Society teach a major battle or condition called Armageddon is about to end world civilization as we know it after which will come paradise earth and a thousand year reign of Christ.   Watchtower long taught some Jehovah's Witnesses in the generation alive in 1914 would see Armageddon but in 2010, nearly 100 years after 1914, shifted to instead say that not Jehovah's Witnesses alive in 1914 but some in an overlapping generation would see the end likely very, very, very soon. However some other Christian groups including among the rival Bible Students teach that in 1874 or so Christ not only returned invisibly but the thousand year reign began with an explosion of new knowledge and inventions enabling the advance of steady increases in knowledge and travel, world wars etc that will teach humans the need to live in peace, restore our earth to paradise conditions, etc.   Such Bible Students also believe that near the end of the thousand years, Satan will be permitted to test humans resurrected on the earth one more time and those loyal to Jehovah God Almighty receive eternal, happy lives but the wicked go into the eternal sleep of death.  Some believe it is then, at this time of final testing, when God causes Armageddon to occur.  Others say Armageddon is a series of major dangerous events that started when God cast Satan out of heaven down onto Earth as seen by woes that started in 1914, in the following World War II with its nuclear bombs and at the t going through the Cold War. So, the next time someone speaks of Armageddon, ask gently, "fine, but which version of Armageddon do you mean?"  Also remember that in any case we can remind the person that the outcome will be that good will triumph over evil, and there will be the blessings of God's Kingdom sweeping over the earth including the resurrection of the dead to perfect bodies and health, death itself ended, all tears wiped away.  After the loud thunderstorm claps of Armageddon will come the Good News is like silver, gold, sparkling gemstone-like stars, a lovely park and a rainbow all coming at once.

DID YOU KNOW THE 1914 DATE WAS NOT OFFICIAL FOR WATCHTOWER UNTIL 1943? Nathan H. Knorr Today relatively few active Jehovah's Witnesses know that it was not until 1943, a year after Joseph Rutherford died, when Watchtower Society President Nathan Knorr changed the date for Christ’s return from 1874 to 1914.   Thus, for 63 years, according to what they now teach, they had been falsely claiming that Christ returned invisibly in 1874. The non-Watchtower Society groups such as Dawn Bible Students, Associated Bible Students, Laymen's Home Missionary Movement, Free Bible Students have continued to teach Christ came back then based upon the Bible book of Daniel's referring to a time when knowledge and travel would become abundant as well as scriptures of prophetic chronology.

THE 1995 CHANGE TO THE AWAKE! MASTHEAD From 1952 to 1995 the Watchtower Society’s Awake! magazine had a  masthead saying:  Why Awake is Published— Awake! is for the enlightenment of the entire family... Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away” (Awake!, October 22, 1995). Then the masthead of the November 8, 1995 Awake! was changed to: "Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things.”

C.T. Russell with wife Maria. He promoted 1875 and 1914 false prophecies	Joseph F. Rutherford, false prophet on1925 and World War II	Frederick Franz (Pusher of Nathan Knorr's 1975 false prophecy)
CLICK TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF WATCHTOWER FALSE STATEMENTS AND MISPREDICTIONS ABOUT ARMAGEDDON, SEALING OF THE 144,000, WHEN CHRIST "INVISIBLY" ALREADY CAME, ETC

FORMER WATCHTOWER HEAD FREDERICK FRANZ CAUGHT ON TAPE TRICKILY MISPREDICTING 1975 FOR "ARMAGEDDON" AND YET "WITHOUT SAYING" IT OUTRIGHT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqGRgKSS64A&feature=autofb Saying something without saying it outright is just one of the many Theocratic War tactics used by Watchtower including by its elders against the other rank-and-file members, especially anyone they know or think was an "apostate," that is against Watchtower and so (they claim) therefore against Jehovah God Himself.  The 1975 misprediction was destructive in the lives of countless individuals and families, heaping reproach upon the organization and God's good name.

WATCHTOWER'S MANY FALSE STATEMENTS ABOUT "THE GENERATION OF 1914" http://www.jwstudies.com/2010_change_to_generations.pdf

2014 - ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY As we near 2014 expect to hear more and more about 2014.  Many Jehovah's Witnesses quit after 1975 did not turn out to be the year when Armageddon hit earth bringing in paradise.  Similarly more will be quitting as we approach 2014 and then go past it. Watchtower has already stopped printing its own 1914 prophecy on the inside cover of every Watchtower magazine as used to be done.  That prophecy is namely that those people who lived in the generation that had their lifetime in 1914 would see Armageddon followed by paradise on earth.  Watchtower has now begun saying that, instead, the generation that lived in 1914 did not see The End but rather saw "the beginning of the End." Also, instead of predicting The End via Armageddon for a specific year date, Watchtower representatives are saying it is expected any second now. Of course, all such false date predicting is mentally unbalancing and destructive of the lives of Watcthtower's now some 7,300,000 members around the earth, but Watchtower is a faceless corporation that could care less. Watchtower's real concern is that its image be protected.  However, since it published about 1914 for nearly 100 years, it's going to have a tough time doing so. Although the Watchtower magazine may no longer mention 1914, memory of the misprophecy or misprediction is thoroughly ingrained into the brains of almost all Jehovah's Witnesses except some of the very young. Yes, 2014 lifts the veil, exposing the Watchtower as being what it has long name-called competing religious organizations, namely an spiritual adulteress, an entity controlled and manipulated from behind the scenes by the ruler of the world of darkness. All good persons who put God and Jesus Christ first need to be exiting Watchtower.  If you can't do so immediately and directly, then at least cut out donations of money and cut way down too on donations of any time and energy.  Instead shift those, for example, to taking better care of your family. Who can blame people for feeling burnt, betrayed by an organization that has come to believe its own lies.

FALSE PROPHET (NON-WATCHTOWER) MAKING FALSE PREDICTIONS

FALSE STATEMENTS OF DATES FOR 1. when Christ returned already invisibly 2. when Christ is yet to return visibly 3. when the 144,000 (aka "The High Calling") was sealed already or would yet be sealed http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/prophecy/comprehensive-list-of-false-dates-set-by-the-watchtower.html

ONLY A PARTIAL LISTING: 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1975 Also unprinted oral "hintings" at 1984, 2000, 2012 etc Though not predicted ahead of time, the Watchtower Society told JWs in a publication called The Messenger (9/1/40, page 6) that they saw the outbreak of World War II as the beginning of Armageddon. It noted, "The Kingdom is here, the King is enthroned. Armageddon is just ahead. The glorious reign of Christ that shall bring blessings to the world will immediately follow. Therefore the great climax has been reached. Tribulation has fallen upon those who stand by the Lord." The Watchtower of September 15, 1941, page 288, said are "in the remaining months before Armageddon." Former headquarters staffer Barbara Grizzuti Harrison has written in her book Visions Of Glory:  "So firmly did Jehovah's Witnesses believe this to be true that there were those who, in 1944, refused to get their teeth filled, postponing all care of their bodies until God saw to their regeneration in His New World. (One zealous Witness I knew carried a supply of cloves to alleviate the pain of an aching molar which she did not wish to have treated by her dentist, since the time was so short till Jehovah would provide a new and perfect one. To this day, I associate the fragrance of cloves with the imminence of disaster.)" Dr. Jerry Bergman, a former JW Elder, has noted in writing that various researchers have all found that there is a much higher than normal rate of mental unbalance including depression among Jehovah's Witnesses.  The numerous false prophecies may be part of the reason for this; too, mentally unbalanced persons tend to be more drawn to unbalanced doomsday groups in general.  Certainly not all JWs are unbalanced, in fact, many are good-hearted people wishing for and working for "paradise" but who have been disceived by overly empowered men without equal sensitivites or consciences.

2014 - ITS SIGNIFICANCE IN THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY As we near 2014 expect to hear more and more about 2014.  Many Jehovah's Witnesses quit after 1975 did not turn out to be the year when Armageddon hit earth bringing in paradise.  Similarly more will be quitting as we approach 2014 and then go past it. Watchtower has already stopped printing its own 1914 prophecy on the inside cover of every Watchtower magazine as used to be done.  That prophecy is namely that those people who lived in the generation that had their lifetime in 1914 would see Armageddon followed by paradise on earth.  Watchtower has now begun saying that, instead, the generation that lived in 1914 did not see The End but rather saw "the beginning of the End." Also, instead of predicting The End via Armageddon for a specific year date, Watchtower representatives are saying it is expected any second now. Of course, all such false date predicting is mentally unbalancing and destructive of the lives of Watcthtower's now some 7,300,000 members around the earth, but Watchtower is a faceless corporation that could care less. Watchtower's real concern is that its image be protected.  However, since it published about 1914 for nearly 100 years, it's going to have a tough time doing so. Although the Watchtower magazine may no longer mention 1914, memory of the misprophecy or misprediction is thoroughly ingrained into the brains of almost all Jehovah's Witnesses except some of the very young. Yes, 2014 lifts the veil, exposing the Watchtower as being what it has long name-called competing religious organizations, namely an spiritual adulteress, an entity controlled and manipulated from behind the scenes by the ruler of the world of darkness. All good persons who put God and Jesus Christ first need to be exiting Watchtower.  If you can't do so immediately and directly, then at least cut out donations of money and cut way down too on donations of any time and energy.  Instead shift those, for example, to taking better care of your family. Who can blame people for feeling burnt, betrayed by an organization that has come to believe its own lies.

WATCHTOWER SAYS "WE NEVER PREDICTED THAT!"  OH, REALLY!  THEN EXPLAIN THE PUBLISHED STATEMENTS: http://www.imagger.com/view/559858_1969_Awake!_May_22_pg._15.jpg.html http://perimeno.ca/1975_&_Life_Everlasting_Book.htm http://www.imagger.com/view/639500_1968_October_Awake_8th_1975_related.jpg.html http://www.imagger.com/view/422878_1975_Mosiac.jpg.html

WATCHTOWER CIRCUIT OVERSEER CHARLES SINUTKO ON TAPE FALSELY PREDICTING ARMAGEDDON A Jehovah's Witness Circuit Overseer named Charles Sinutko was taped mispredicting Armageddon would happen in 1975, and what he falsely stated of it is now on the following youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0py36AEsOUk  A specific date for Armageddon is no longer preached due the Watchtower's numerous past mispredictions, but they still insist it will very very, very, very soon (any moment).  At the end here is a link to their official website with some of their articles about Armageddon. What they write and print is often carefully worded to sound "well-balanced" but it differs sharply with what they say informally and actually believe which is generally more negative or destructive and not well-balanced.  http://www.watchtower.org/e/20051201/article_01.htm

Want to see where the latest quakes have been on planet Earth?  Go to this U.S. geological website for the facts: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/

WATCHTOWER’S FALSE MARKED DATE OF 1914 The year 2014 is the 100th anniversary of 1914, the year that the Watchtower Society over Jehovah’s Witnesses has taught again and again to be THE MARKED YEAR! Watchtower says Christ returned invisibly in 1914, but if so why does Matthew 24 say his return or presence begins AFTER the Great Tribulation. Matthew 24 also says that when he has come back the wicked are destroyed, but that didn't happen in 1914. Watchtower says it knows now who the wheat-like pro-God people are now by their deeds, but Christ’s parable of the wheat and tares (weeds) says the only time to know who the true followers are  is after the harvest has come, that is at the end. In 2015 many JWs will quit Watchtower disillusioned yet again, much as many did in 1976 after 1975, another falsely marked year, had come and passed. Some will depart relatively unscarred, but others will be so disillusioned as to suicide.  It’s no small matter.

And this long persecution, in which 'many were purified and made white and tried,' and in which the Mother of Harlots was 'drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus' (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already show, practially in 1776.  (Studies in the Scriptures IV - Battle of Armageddon; p 584; by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society)

VIDEOS  "Jehovah's Witnesses-Watchtower Society Exposed Part 2 of 7" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSZRIhsuTE8 Jehovah's Witnesses predict Armageddon in 1975 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEWvm3uXdBM